In the Rose's Shadow
by Autumn Dewdrop
Summary: Set sometime after 'The Bellmaker'.  Martin visits Dandin in a dream to give him a warning when he returns to Redwall with Mariel and Bowly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

_Hello! This is my first Redwall fanfic, so please be kind when reviewing._

_All the usual disclaimers apply. I am not Brian Jacques, as will be obvious when you read this, and therefore I don't own Redwall._

_This story follows on from Mariel of Redwall, The Bellmaker and Martin the Warrior, so take this as your spoiler warning if you have yet to read these books._

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**Chapter One**

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The sky was a deep, crimson red as the sun started to peek above the leafy treetops of Mossflower Woods, casting strange shadowy shapes into the almost deserted grounds of Redwall Abbey.

Dandin smiled happily as he walked through the familiar gardens. He had thought all the beasts were still asleep but the echo of happy laughter from what sounded like a young, courting couple drifted through the morning breeze to his ears. He changed course, not wanting to disturb the happy couple, whoever they were.

Then he heard a pitiful wail of mourning and he raced towards the sound. He rounded a corner with his dagger drawn, ready to fight whatever evil had dared to destroy the peace of his Abbey.

He lowered it back down to point at the dew-soaked grass when he spotted nothing but a solitary mouse. The stranger was sobbing and as Dandin moved closer he noticed that he was bent over a freshly planted rose bush.

"Friend," Dandin said gently, still gripping the dagger tight in his paw. "What's the matter? Is there anything I can do?"

He gasped as the mouse stood up, his tears magically gone but his face still melancholy. It was Martin, the spirit of the Warrior mouse who still protected the Abbey all these long seasons since his death. Dandin would know him anywhere. It wasn't the first time he had met him, either. However, this was different. This was no stoic, wise and firm warrior that was standing before him. This Martin was young, much younger than Dandin and the sorrow on his face was deeper than the mouse had ever seen on the face of any beast.

_"No beginning and never an end,_

_Seasons flow with the passage of time,_

_No beast can stop the leaves from falling,_

_Nor halt the growth of spring._

_What must happen will happen,_

_Whether you will it or no,_

_What has happened will happen again,_

_And on the cycle goes_."

"I don't understand," Dandin told the Warrior. "What are you trying to tell me?"

Martin said nothing but pointed at a rose bud that was opening on the shrub. Dandin peered closer and in the centre of the flower he could see the face of a beautiful mousemaid. He reached out to take a closer look, but it turned brown and crumbled into dust before his eyes. Dandin looked back at Martin, who had morphed back to the way he looked on the tapestry in Redwall.

"_Return home, warrior, if you dare,_

_Bad fortune awaits thee there,_

_Before you go take this advice,_

_Learn, understand and beware_."

The image of Martin began to walk back towards the main Abbey building. Dandin ran after him, but he could never catch up with him; no matter how fast he ran the figure just walked further and further away.

"Wait, Martin, I don't understand what you mean! Please, don't go! Don't...!" Dandin tripped over and landed face-first into the Abbey pond. He coughed and spluttered water out of his mouth. "Wait!"

* * *

"Too late. You should have woken up earlier, shouldn't you?"

Dandin opened his eyes and slowly focused onto the two figures that were standing in front of him. "Huh?" He rubbed at his eyes, only to realise that his fur was dripping wet. "Hey, who poured water over me?"

Mariel smiled and pointed at Bowly, who held an empty bucket in his paws. "He did."

The hedgehog glared at her and thrust the bucket into her paws. "Only 'cause she told me to," he sniffed as he stormed out of the cabin and up onto the deck.

Dandin stood up and dried himself off with his blanket, only to discover that it had also fallen victim to their alarm call. "Humph. Look what I have to put up with. What's wrong with shaking somebeast to wake them up, why must you two soak them?"

The mousemaid tutted at him. "We shook you, shouted and you and prodded you. If the drenching hadn't worked you were likely to get pummelled by stale oatcakes followed by a sharp knock to the head with a Gullwhacker. You wouldn't wake up."

"Nice to know you had a back-up plan," he grumbled. "What was so important that you had to wake me up or kill me trying?"

"The River Moss is getting too narrow for the Pearl Queen. If we continue any further we'll block off the river for any other ship. We're berthing here and then walking downstream to meet up with the Guosim before heading onto Redwall. Log-a-Log's helping us secure the ship now. I suppose we could have left you here on your own but you would have complained about that as well. Now you're awake you have a choice."

"Not much of a choice, I'll bet. If I decide to go back to sleep you'll just wake me up again and force me to accompany you anyway."

Mariel rolled her eyes at him, "It's your childhood home we're going to and it was your idea to return there. You're always grumpy first thing in the morning."

Dandin said nothing as he hunted for some dry clothing to wear. She was right, he supposed, he did want to go home. It was almost infuriating how well Mariel knew him, although he wouldn't have it any other way.

He turned around to apologise to her, only to find the room empty. He moved towards the exit and heard the peal of her laughter drift down from the deck. The sound brought a smile to his face and he quickly got dressed and went to join his friends.

* * *

Kilmus the fox strode through the temporary camp his troop of marauding vermin had set up. "Syrenn!" he called as soon as he spotted the weasel in question.

Her head shot up at the sound of her name, then Syrenn made her way towards her leader. "Yes, sir?"

"Are we close?"

Syrenn scratched her nose. "Dunno how close yet, we've just entered the woods surrounding the Abbey. I've sent Scarchin and a couple of others out scoutin'. You need patience if yer determined to capture Redwall Abbey. Fer a bunch o' peaceful woodlanders they don't half know how to fight."

Kilmus threw a friendly paw across the weasel's shoulder. "And that's what makes it such a worthy prize. That, and the treasure."

"The magic sword?" There was more than a trace of disbelief in Syrenn's patronising voice.

"Yes, the magic sword. But there's more besides, lots more. You've heard the tales," he raised his voice so that it carried to the thirty or so beasts that made up Kilmus' band. "You've all heard the tales of Redwall Abbey and you know that we are the ones to take the Abbey."

Cheers rose through the treetops, then the vermin started chanting Kilmus' name as they worked themselves up into an excited frenzy. The fox tightened his grip on Syrenn's neck in warning and all she could do was swallow. She had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

The sun had almost set by the time the squabbling band of travellers reached the gates of Redwall Abbey. Log-a-Log and Mariel walked in front, keeping away from the many arguments that were going on behind them.

As soon as the Abbey was visible at the end of the path, Log-a-Log stopped and shouted back at the beasts following him. "QUIET! Next one I hear speak doesn't get any supper!"

"...So there!" A voice was heard to echo as the shrews became silent, albeit grudgingly.

All eyes turned towards the unfortunate mouse. Dandin looked around him, surprised. "Hey, I'm not part of the Guosim, Log-a-Log has no power over me."

Mariel fought hard to keep her face straight at Dandin's indignation. "I didn't hear him specify 'shrews only'. Just the next voice, which was yours."

"You can't be serious!"

"I am," Log-a-Log replied dismissively. "Now let's all be on our best behaviour. Anyone heard shouting, arguing or raising their voice without justification will join Dandin and get no supper. Am I understood?"

There was a low murmur of ascent. Dandin, however, did not seem at all happy with the situation. "Mariel spoke too, how come she gets dinner?"

"He said next 'voice', singular, not plural," she patiently explained to her friend. "Besides I wasn't shouting or arguing."

"Log-a-Log," Dandin whined pathetically.

The shrew thought about it for a second. "Sorry Dandin, you might have a case there but I can't let a young lady go hungry, it's not very chivalrous and I won't let it be said that I let a lady go without food."

"She ain't no lady, no sir. I've never seen anybeast who's less of a lady; I'll bet there's big, brawny butch lizards fighting in a smelly, muddy swamp someplace that's more ladylike than Mariel," the warrior mouse muttered, almost under his breath but still loud enough for those close to him to hear and snigger.

"Dandin," Log-a-Log chided. "Stop muttering and keep up with the rest or else it won't just be dinner you'll be missing."

* * *

**A/N**: _What do you think? If you like it and want me to carry on writing this story, please review. Oh, and my apologies for the poem, I never could write one that actually rhymed!_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** _Thanks to those who left reviews for the first chapter, I hope you all enjoy this next one._

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**Chapter Two**

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Abbot Saxtus walked along the top of the wall towards the Gatehouse where Simeon was sitting and staring down the path that led into the woods of Mossflower as though he could actually see it.

"Tea's ready, Simeon. You don't want to be late, there won't be a morsel left after the Woodsorrels' have finished with it. Sometimes I think they spend just as much time here as they do away."

"Do you ever think much about when you were a Dibbun?" Simeon asked, as if Saxtus hadn't spoken.

Giving up his food as lost; the Abbot sat himself down beside the blind herbalist. Knowing the old mouse as well as he did, Saxtus knew there was a reason why he was out here, even if he wasn't going to tell him what it was.

"Sometimes. Mostly when one of our little ones does something I remember doing, or when Bagg and Runn play a prank on Durry."

"I remember feeling sorry for you when Mariel showed up at our gates. You were always a quiet and reserved Dibbun when you weren't around Dandin. For all the mischief the pair of you got up to, Mellus and I were both glad that he brought you out of yourself, even if the consequences were unwanted."

"You saw me as a shadow of Dandin?" The Abbot asked, a little hurt at the insinuation.

"Not exactly," Simeon kept his sightless eyes on the road. "But it was nice to see you having fun together. However, there was always something about Dandin. Not that he appeared to be special exactly, but I could tell that he was never going to be a Brother here. It would never have suited him."

Saxtus smiled. "I remember when you said something about him being the next Abbot."

Simeon laughed. "Yes, well, I don't get everything right. I suppose he was always destined to be a Warrior, perhaps I just didn't like the idea that he'd end up dying at the end of some vermin's sword. If I could've convinced him to stay at the Abbey, given him something here to commit to then maybe he would have been safe."

They sat in companionable silence for a while before Saxtus spoke again. "They're coming, aren't they?"

"Who?"

"Mariel and Dandin."

"Something's coming."

"Something good?"

Simeon sighed. "Change is coming. Its nature I cannot tell, but for somebeasts something major is about to occur. Only time will tell if it's good or bad."

Saxtus looked out over the road that led to his Abbey and saw a cloud of dust on the horizon. "They're here."

* * *

Aubretia watched the intrepid duo with a strange and unexpected fascination. Since arriving at the Abbey that winter, she had heard many tales of their exploits, although some of the tall tales the Dibbuns had told her she had decided not to believe. It was hard enough believing the stories told by the characters involved.

For some reason, however, Mariel and Dandin were not what she had expected.

They were younger for a start, about her own age and they didn't look like seasoned warriors. Certainly Mariel didn't. She rivalled Aubretia in her beauty and she could see no visible scars from all the fighting she had done. Dandin on the other hand, he _did_ look more like she'd expected a warrior to look like, but there was nothing in his demeanour that screamed 'I have seen unimaginable terrors' like the warriors did in stories; his eyes shone with a joyful cheeriness that seemed out of place considering what he must have encountered. Even the Redwallers' tapestry of Martin showed him to be a formidable opponent, a mouse she would be afraid to meet on a dark night despite her distant relative being his beloved. Dandin however was happy and cheerful, and handsome.

Bultip winked at her. "Don't even think about it. I doubt his wife would be happy."

"What?" the mousemaid asked, jumping as she realised that she had been staring at the warrior. "I wasn't... I was just thinking..."

"Mmphschrmtch, 'snot his wife," Tarquin, who was seated next to Bultip, managed to speak out between mouthfuls of his Deeper 'n' Ever Pie.

The hedgehog looked surprised at this information. "Really? From the way everybeast spoke about them I always assumed..."

Tarquin took a swig of October Ale to force down the pie so he could make room for more food, allowing him the opportunity to speak. "Harrumph. Yes, well. It's all expected of course. I expect the old Abbot's even got the whole thing sorted out but the blighters still haven't worked it out for themselves, wot."

"My father always told me never to assume anything," Bultip mused cheekily. "Mayhap Aubretia's got a shot after all."

The hare gave Aubretia a careful look as she blushed. "I was just looking at them, both of them."

"I'll tell you somethin' old gel, Mariel ain't the sort to settle down, but Dandin's a blasted Redwaller at heart, wot wot. If she's bally well not in love with him, the time isn't far off when there'll be a rift. She won't become a mater just because her friend's grown tired of sailin' around on a bloomin' boat. Still, it's easier to prize a clam from its shell than to get him away from her blinkin' side. Dandin wouldn't think twice of sacrificin' his dreams for hers."

"More fool him," Aubretia said to herself, ignoring the curious stares of her friends.

* * *

Mariel nudged Dandin to gain his attention as she noticed he'd stopped eating. "Stop staring," she scolded.

Dandin drew his eyes away from Aubretia and back to his companion. "Sorry. I just can't help feeling like I've seen her before."

"I've never seen her before," Mariel scoffed at him.

"She's very pretty."

"I suppose you could call her pretty."

"Pretty?" A young mouse called Sav who was sat nearby asked them incredulously. "Are you two blind? She's beautiful!"

Abbot Saxtus smirked into his bowl of leek soup. "Of course, you are as well, Mariel."

"Oh," she blinked in surprise at the unexpected compliment, then realised she had sounded like she had been fishing for it. "No, I didn't mean... Thank you, Saxtus. I suppose not being a male mouse I don't notice these things so much."

Dandin smiled at her. "Are you jealous?"

"Of what?" She threw a redcurrant at him. "Having your ugly mug staring at me? I'm glad of the reprieve."

"Aubretia," Simeon called the mousemaid's attention to them. "Why don't you show Mariel and Dandin your locket and tell them the story of Martin and Rose."

The Great Hall had fallen silent at the mention of Martin and Rose. Aubretia had been made to tell the story many times since she had first related it to them; it had become a great favourite of the Redwallers. "Oh, no. I'd much rather hear about their adventures."

"Please," Dandin begged, his eyes shining. "I love hearing stories about Martin."

"Very well," Aubretia took in a deep breath and retold the story of Martin's capture by Badrang, his escape from Marshank and travel to Noonvale with Rose; the tragedy of her death. Then she showed them her locket. "See. This is Martin and this is Rose."

"She looks like you." Mariel's voice almost sounded accusing.

"I look like her," Aubretia corrected.

Dandin picked up the locket and stared at the pictures inside it. "It wasn't you," he spoke more to himself than to the assembled woodlanders. "It was her. I dreamt about Martin, he spoke to me. She was the face in the rose."

"You dreamt about Martin?" Simeon was totally serious.

"Yes. He said something. It was a poem:

'_No beginning and never an end,_

_Seasons flow with the passage of time,_

_No beast can stop the leaves from falling,_

_Nor halt the growth of spring._

_What must happen will happen,_

_Whether you will it or no,_

_What has happened will happen again,_

_And on the cycle goes._

_Return home, warrior, if you dare,_

_Bad fortune awaits thee there,_

_Before you go take this advice,_

_Learn, understand and beware.'"_

Mariel glared at him as he finished reciting the poem. "And you didn't think to mention this before? That Martin warned you to not come back to Redwall?"

"I forgot!" he exclaimed indignantly. "You woke me up!"

Saxtus interrupted the impending argument. "What happened in the rest of the dream, Dandin?"

"I heard someone crying and I found Martin by a rose bush. He pointed to a flower with Au- er, Rose's face in it but it crumbled into dust. Then he said that poem."

Simeon thought. "What cycle?"

"It must have something to do with Martin and Rose." Aubretia said.

"Whoohahahahooh I say, maybe Martin thinks Dandin's going to lose his love!"

A deathly silence fell over the assembled creatures at Rosie's words. It was Mariel who broke it. "Why are you all looking at me?"

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Saxtus leapt in before somebeast mentioned something the warriors still didn't seem ready to acknowledge. "Dandin, recite the poem line by line and let's try and work out what Martin was saying."

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**A/N:** _Please review and let me know what you think!_


	3. Chapter 3

**Cha****pter Three**

A smaller gathering of creatures were still up as the sun began to light up the night sky. Abbot Saxtus, who also had the role of Abbey Recorder, sighed and looked at the sheet of parchment they had used to scribble down the poem and what they could make of it.

"We are agreed that it hints to a past event that is going to reoccur sometime soon, triggered by Dandin's return to Redwall. Some lines echo the exact warning Polleekin gave to Martin surrounding his return to Marshank with Rose. When coupled with the young Martin and the rose bush that Dandin saw, we are convinced the warning must have something to do with Rose's death."

"Rose is going to die again." Rufe stated coldly.

"So," Mariel exhaled. "We need to find out who Rose is. Martin seemed to think her death inevitable, but if it was, I doubt he would have given us the warning. Of course the warning was not to come to Redwall..." she gave her friend a stern look "...but so long as we can keep an eye out for whatever dangers are coming and keep her away from them, she won't die."

There followed a silence during which many looks were exchanged, none with Mariel or Dandin.

"What about Aubretia?"

All eyes turned to Durry and the cellarhog shrugged. "She looks like Rose, and Rose was her great-great-great Auntie or something."

"I suppose so." Saxtus didn't sound convinced.

"What do you think, Dandin?" Simeon looked in the warrior's general direction. "If the assumption is that you are Martin, who do _you_ think Rose is?"

Dandin felt the room closing in on him as many expectant beasts stared at him. Beside him he could practically hear the thumping of Mariel's heart. Did she want him to say her name, or was she hoping that he wouldn't? She was the maiden he was closest to, whose death would most affect him, and yet she wasn't his wife. She was his friend. And nothing like the way Aubretia had described Rose; Aubretia certainly carried Rose's description better than Mariel ever could.

"I... I couldn't say. I've never been good at this sort of thing."

"Durry has a point," Mariel leapt in. "Aubretia does appear to be Rose incarnate. It would be the most logical assumption."

More looks were traded, but no voices were raised.

Saxtus raised his quill, ready to write their discoveries on the parchment. "Are we agreed? That Aubretia is Rose and the one Martin told Dandin to protect?"

During the following silence, Saxtus made his final notes. Dandin tried to breathe through the heavy leaden feeling in his chest that told him they had made a mistake. Mariel and Durry were right; Aubretia had to be Rose.

Tarquin snored heavily and woke himself up. He raised his head from the pie dish that had served as his pillow. "I say, wot wot. How's the jolly old riddle solvin' goin'?"

"Them's decoided tha' Orbresher be Roser an' tha' she be'n gurt trubble, burr aye," Foremole informed the hare.

He shook his head to try and get some pie crust out of his ears. "Really? The way things were goin' I had expected- I say, is anybeast going to eat that salad? No point in lettin' good tucker go to waste, wot wot."

Tarquin reached across the table and pulled to bowl towards himself. He munched on great mouthfuls of the green leaves as the rest of the Abbey beasts said their goodnights and made their way up to the dormitory.

* * *

Scarchin made his way to Kilmus' tent. The fox was still up, discussing tactics and the legend of Redwall Abbey with his weasel aid. She scowled at the rat as he pushed aside the flaps and made his way inside. "I were expectin' y'back sooner than this. Yer supposed to be the fastest runner we 'ave."

"Sorry, Syrenn. We got lost. But we know where the Abbey is."

"Good," replied Kilmus before Syrenn could speak again. "Then you can lead us there. We set off for Redwall first thing on the morrow. How far away are we, rat?"

"No more than two days march."

Kilmus traded looks with Syrenn. "In two days-"

"Three." She interrupted. "We've gotta be prepared before we attack, Kilmus. Otherwise we'll fail an' y'll never get yer paws on that sword. Two days march an' at least a night's sleep. Two days' march an' one day's rest would be best. A great leader must know patience."

"And I will be the ruler of Redwall and all of Mossflower and you will be at my right paw until the end."

The weasel nodded at Scarchin. "Go an' rest."

"But be up at first light," the fox called after the departing scout. "You will walk beside us at the head of my army. Be assured that I shall know if you steer us wrong."

* * *

Above them, hidden in the leafy boughs of Mossflower Woods sat a plump squirrel, his head tilted towards the ground as he listened in to their conversation.

"The brothers and sisters of Redwall are more of an army than that rabble. Still, I'd better let them know that they've got company coming to visit."

* * *

"Thank you, Oak Tom." Saxtus shook the squirrel's paw in greeting. "We're grateful for the information."

Tom looked around the Abbey grounds where weapons were already being assembled and creatures were being taught to use them. "You look like you already knew about it."

"We knew something was coming, but not what and when."

Oak Tom's wife, Treerose, started to stride towards the Abbey building. "Looks like we'll be staying for a couple of days. Better make ourselves useful."

He nodded. "Where would I be most useful?" he asked the Abbot.

"With me," Mariel waved him over to where she was sitting beside Simeon, consulting a map of the woodland surrounding Redwall. "You can tell us where this fox and his vermin will be coming from."

* * *

After a couple of hours talking tactics, Mariel left the Abbey's elders and made her way to the refreshment table, where Friar Cockleburr was trying to save his food from being demolished by the fourteen hungry hares that were currently residing in Redwall. He pleaded with her to help him guard the food so that they wouldn't face a famine, but Mariel laughed and told him that even Martin himself would have failed such a task. She did, however, manage to secure herself a beaker of elderflower cordial before she moved away from the danger zone.

Instead of returning to the elders she decided to make a round and check the rest of the activity. On the lawn Dandin, Tarquin, Durry and Rufe were busy instructing the woodlanders in their chosen form of weaponry. Once more her assistance was begged for, and once more she made her escape.

Mariel came to the edge of the lawn by the orchard, where the Abbey Dibbuns had congregated. The otter twins Bagg and Runn, along with Lorquin Woodsorrel the Second, had taken control of the group hand-picked by Saxtus to guard the Abbey grounds; also known to the grown-ups as Operation Keep-the-Dibbuns-Occupied-and-Out-of-Trouble.

"Bagg and Runn, why aren't you training with Dandin and the others?" Mariel scolded.

The otters, who had been Dibbuns when Mariel had first come to the Abbey but were now supposedly adults, exchanged a look. "Saxtus told us to look after the Dibbuns."

"Says we're the best because we share their level of maturity."

Mariel took a sip of her drink. "I see."

"They're a bloomin' great pair of fibbers, Miss Mariel," Lorquin piped up. "My mater informed me that the Abbot said they couldn't be trusted around weapons. Old enough t'know better but too bally thick to learn, was her exact words, ma'am."

Bagg and Runn argued back that they had been chosen to look after the Dibbuns because they were best at it, and were not treated as Dibbuns because they still acted like Dibbuns.

Mariel smirked and made no comment. Personally she thought Saxtus was too hard on the otters, who were at least the age she had been when she had travelled to Terramort with Dandin, Durry and Tarquin. However, it was not her place to overrule him. "What about that lot over there?"

The youngsters looked over to where a group of five Dibbuns were sitting under an apple tree.

"They're playin' at bein' Miss Aubretia, ma'am. Say they're too bloomin' fragile and feminine to fight, wot."

Mariel left the Dibbuns and walked over to the 'Aubretia's'. One of them was another one of Rosie and Tarquin's offspring. The eldest was a molemaid called Furrtil, who seemed to be the one in charge.

"Burr, gudd day to 'ee Miz Mariel. Us'ns are keepin' out of 'ee way. Doan't wanna be 'urted loike Miz Roser were in 'ee story."

"So I hear." Mariel sat with the group. "It's very wise but surely you could be doing something to help that isn't fighting."

Furrtil traded looks with her companions. "Et be a war. What'z thur 'part frum foightin'? Us'ns carn't be foightin'."

"Well, there's lots to do," Mariel said thoughtfully. "But you all want to be like Aubretia, so I hear. Why not go help her."

"Us'ns doan't know wurr she be or what she be a'doin'."

Mariel stood up, feeling suddenly annoyed with Aubretia. "Let me find out for you."

* * *

She found her in the infirmary, stocking up on supplies as well as making medicines and ointments with Rosie and a group of Redwall's more peaceful brothers and sisters.

Mariel marched straight up to her. "What are you doing?"

Aubretia blinked, not understanding the source of the warrior's vexation. "I'm making a tincture of marigold."

"I mean, why are you hiding away in here?"

"I'm not hiding."

Mariel narrowed her eyes at the squeak in the maiden's voice that told her she was lying. "They're not here yet, there's no reason for you to be locked away, safe from harm."

"I say, steady on old gel," Rosie rested a reassuring paw on Mariel's shoulder. "She's a blinkin' healer, where else would she be but up here with the rest of us healin' types?"

Mariel shrugged off the harewife's gentle touch. "It's the principle. I know that we're all trying to protect the Abbey, but this whole thing has been romanticised into an attempt to save you. The female Dibbuns are sitting around doing nothing in an effort to emulate _you_."

"It's not my fault," Aubretia argued. "It's not like I asked for any of this."

"Mariel knows that Aubretia," Sister Sage stepped in to her aid. "But a lot can be said for appearance. Maybe you should go and take those Dibbuns to collect some herbs for the storeroom, then go and watch some of the training. You've caught the eye of a lot of the young mice. If it has been romanticised, then give them the romance. You can offer your headscarf to the best fighter for him to wear to battle."

The Sister escorted Aubretia out of the infirmary, chattering away about the heroines in bygone myths but Mariel knew that her main objective was to get the maid away from her. She ground her teeth in irritation.

"I say, careful there or you'll grind 'em down to nothin', wot. Hold these a moment."

Mariel blinked as a pile of bandages was thrust into her arms. "Huh? Sorry Rosie, I was just-"

"Happily plannin' Aubretia's funeral by the look on your face. Give the gel a blinkin' chance, would you? Wot's your problem with the poor mouse anyway?"

"I don't know. Nothing; she seems very nice and kind. I just don't understand her, I suppose. And of course there's..." Mariel was staring into space as she spoke and didn't notice the harewife's ears prick up. The mousemaid sighed. "Last time I was here, the Dibbun Furrtil used to follow me around with a knotted bit of twine around her waist, asking how I became a warrior. Now she's playing at being Aubretia and just sitting there doing nothing and keeping well away from the Dibbuns who are play-fighting."

Rosie's ears drooped. "Well, Dibbuns change their minds all the bally time. Last week one of mine decided he wanted to be a bloomin' butterfly. Drove my Tarkers crazy, runnin' around, flappin' his paws about all day and half the blinkin' night."

A ghost of a smile lit up Mariel's face. "I know you're right, but something about this feels wrong. Like when I was Storm, I knew that I knew who I really was but I just couldn't quite fathom it out. If I could only work out what's wrong I could... oh, I don't know. Solve it. The trouble is, I don't know what it is and by the time I work it out, it may be too late."


	4. Chapter 4

**Cha****pter Four**

**A/N:** _Sorry it's taken me so long to get this chapter up. Thank you to all my reviewers so far, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint!_

* * *

Sage's idea had blossomed and in a short space of time, it had taken on a life of its own. One evening an arena had been set up for the budding warriors to compete in, each hoping to win a maiden's colours to wear into the coming battle. Aubretia and the Dibbuns had been busy making individual scarves for each maiden to give to their warrior and were handing them out in preparation for the festivities.

"Here you are, Mariel."

Mariel scowled at the piece of cloth that Aubretia was waving in front of her face. "What's this?"

"They're your colours. I made it for you."

The look on the mousemaid's face made Mariel feel a little guilty, it was obviously supposed to be an olive branch, but she was too riled to let it go. "Thank you but I'm a warrior."

"Yes, I know. Redwall's greatest living warrior. But tonight's not about that, it's about romance. As a maid you have to play the part of... well, a maid."

"Tonight we should be resting or preparing for the battle."

"Let it go, Mariel." Dandin scolded her as he walked over to join them. "We will be practising our fighting techniques and we deserve a little fun before the battle. Now be a sport and be a girl."

Mariel sighed and accepted the scarf before Aubretia scuttled away from her to stay out of harm's way. "This is ridiculous."

"It's just a bit of fun." Dandin repeated.

"It would be if I could fight," she replied. "But I have to stand on the sidelines, looking all pretty and doe-eyed. I'm not doing it."

She flung the scarf down in contempt and stormed off into the orchard, away from the rest of the Redwallers. Dandin paused to pick up her colours and rushed after her.

"Mariel! Mariel!"

"What?" She turned on him, fuming.

"What is your problem? I've barely spoken to you since we got home and every time I do you sound like you're about to bite somebeast's head off. Normally Aubretia's."

Mariel was silent for a moment as she tried to come up with a reason for her behaviour. "I don't know, Dandin," she sighed. "Look, just go and fight in the games. I'll be fine. It's knowing that this battle's coming, I think. I'm a bit restless."

"Me too. Are you going to come and watch?"

She shrugged. "Are you going to fight?"

At his indecisive look she took a hold of his paw and pulled him towards the arena. "Come on. I tell you what; if you lose you can wear my colours instead of Aubretia's."

"Then you'd better have this back so you can give it to me," he smiled at her as he returned her scarf with a flourish.

* * *

The games had been a triumph. Even Mariel had to accept that it showed how good the Redwallers were at combat.

She fingered the scarf she held in her paws as Dandin accepted the winner's prize of Aubretia's scarf. All the other competitors had already secured scarves from other maidens, each tied above their right elbows. She watched as her best friend and the mousemaid flirted with each other.

Sighing, she took the scarf and tied it above her own right elbow. She was a maiden and a warrior, what could be more fitting than for her to wear her own colours into battle?

Dandin turned away from Aubretia and caught sight of Mariel as she put her on her own colours. He felt guilty at wearing Aubretia's instead of hers, he had intended losing purely so that he could tease her by constantly wearing that scarf, for the rest of his life if need be, just so that he'd have a memento that for one moment he was her hero and not the other way around. But he'd got so caught up in the fights that he'd forgotten until the moment he was declared overall winner.

Mariel smiled at him across the gathering but it felt so distant. She felt distant. He knew that if she slept beside him that night, as she often had on cold nights during their travels, she'd feel just as distant. He couldn't help but feel empty at the realisation and he felt no glory in his triumph.

* * *

It was the night before the battle. The scouts headed by Oak Tom had reported that the vermin band had set up camp just out of sight of the Abbey.

Dandin patrolled along the top of the wall. They were already fully guarded, beasts with bows and arrows and slings and stones ready to defend the Abbey to the death. As Dandin was expected to go to fight in Mossflower in the morning, he was supposed to be asleep instead of pacing around the ramparts. But he was restless.

He was unaware that he was being watched from the shadows until the figure stepped into his path and stopped him in his tracks. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"Shouldn't you?" Dandin bit back at his unasked for companion.

Saxtus sighed in worry. "My Abbey is under threat, I couldn't sleep a wink. Shall we walk together?"

The pair made their way to the grounds where they were alone and could speak more freely. "Your Abbey. I still can't believe that you're the Abbot now."

He laughed. "Nor I. Some days I wake up and still expect to find myself in the Dibbuns quarters, waiting to spend another day making mischief with you. Those mornings, the first thing I tend to remember is that you're not here."

Dandin looked at the Abbot, who suddenly seemed like the young mouse that had been Dandin's double as a Dibbun. "I just left, didn't I? I didn't even think..."

"That I might like to go, too? Why would you? It wasn't your head that made the decision to follow wherever Mariel led."

Dandin faltered in his steps. "My head? No, it was Martin. He told me that I had to go to Terramort with her."

Saxtus hoped the darkness hid his smile. "I think it all turned out for the best. Perhaps I would have liked a taste of adventure but I'm happy where I am. Which explains why I'm awake, but not why you are. Are you worried about tomorrow?"

"Of course. Another battle. I'll bet even Martin couldn't relax the night before a fight."

"Especially one foretold with doom." He gave his friend a long stare. "Are you absolutely sure that we interpreted your dream correctly? Dandin, it was _your_ dream, _your_ warning. If there is any doubt in your mind..."

"No!" Dandin leapt in even as something inside him wanted to scream 'yes'! "I'm sure. Aubretia's Rose. Who else could it be?"

"She will be kept safe in the Abbey. So long as you and Mariel and the others defeat them, she will be fine."

"Good. That's good." The feeling that it wasn't threatened to overwhelm Dandin but he refused to give into his fears and decided instead to go to bed and try to get some rest.

* * *

It was still a good hour before dawn when the Redwall warriors prepared to leave to fight the vermin. Saxtus and Mariel had given their final speeches to the congregation and the gates were opening to let the woodlanders out.

Mariel stepped out in front of the group but found herself drawn back into the shadow of the wall.

"Dandin, what are you doing?" She hissed as she recognised her aggressor.

Something inside him had snapped as he saw her about to step out onto the battlefield and he realised that he couldn't do it. "Stay here," he told her.

"What?"

"Don't go, stay here."

Mariel glanced back at the departing woodlanders. Their absence hadn't been noticed yet. She looked back at the pleading eyes of her best friend. "Don't do this, Dandin."

He sighed. "Mariel-"

She interrupted him before he said something stupid. "You know I can't stay here. I have to be out there, fighting."

"But what if-"

She placed a silencing paw on his mouth. "No 'what if's. Nothing's going to happen. I'll be right by your side the whole time."

"Promise?"

She smiled at him and tugged his paw as they followed the group out into the woodland. "Where else would I be?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Ch****apter Five**

**A/N**: _It's been over a month since I last updated this story? Sorry guys, real life got a little bit in my way. Still, here's the penultimate chapter and, fingers crossed, I'll post the last one in less than a month! Let me know what you think by leaving a review, I hope you enjoy._

* * *

Syrenn looked almost happy as she rushed into Kilmus' tent.

"Did I mention 'avin' the element of surprise?" she asked, her voice disturbing Kilmus from his sleep.

The fox scowled at her. "What are you getting at, weasel?"

"There's an 'ole group of angry lookin' woodlanders 'eadin' this way."

"How...?"

She threw up her arms in exasperation. "'Ow? 'Ow should I know? Fact is, they're comin'. Y'need t'get yer troops up an' ready or yer facin' a massacre."

Syrenn's words spurred the fox into action. "Syrenn, go out there and alert everybeast, get them to wait by my tent for instructions. We will not lose this battle. I have a plan."

* * *

Skipper kicked the ashes of last night's fire in annoyance at discovering that the vermin camp was empty.

"If I was a jolly ol' vermin type chap, where would I be hiding, wot?" Tarquin mused to himself as he looked under bushes, finding nothing but a discarded apple to munch on.

Mariel's eyes were as hard as stone. "They knew we were coming. They've gone to the Abbey, hoping to find it unguarded."

"It's not," Dandin pointed out to her. "We still have beasts lining the walls with arrows and javelins."

"Untrained fighters. If they should get inside the Abbey grounds, they won't stand a chance against that fox and his followers."

"Then they won't get inside." Oak Tom's face was almost as stern as Mariel's; it took her a moment to remember that his wife Treerose had stayed behind. "I know these woods better than anybeast. We'll beat them back to Redwall or my name ain't Oak Tom."

* * *

Having lost the element of surprise, Kilmus decided instead to take his band down the road to Redwall without any attempts to hide, hoping that a show of force would cower them into submission. Syrenn began to get seriously worried when Kilmus actually looked shocked to see an arrow fly down from the ramparts and kill one of the rats. After that, the whole vermin hoard began to visibly tremble.

She moved her way subtly to the back of the group, escape being the only thing on her mind. Realising in one blessed moment that nobeast had noticed her movements, she took the opportunity to hide under a gorse bush, the sharp prick of the thorns a distinct preference to being killed by the woodlanders.

* * *

Kilmus paused, desperately thinking of a way to protect himself and those around him from the arrows, javelins and rubble that the Redwallers were raining down on the heads of his vermin horde.

Unfortunately for the fox, this indecision caused him to be caught off guard as the returning warriors burst out of the bushes on either side of the band of vermin, cutting off their retreat into the woodlands. The only way was forward, to the foreboding red stone walls of the Abbey and the archers poised, ready to fire down at the vermin.

"REDWWAAALLLL!" The war cry came from the mousemaid with the knotted rope and was immediately taken up by the rest of the woodlanders.

The sound chilled Kilmus to the bone, but the fox boldly held his sword aloft. "Fight! Show these woodlanders what we're made of!"

Half of his followers did, half charged at the woodland beasts surrounding them and it was fairly obvious that they didn't stand a chance. One or two, including the tracker Scarchin, laid down their weapons and held aloft their paws in a gesture of surrender. These, others noticed, were left alone by the encroaching woodlanders and more surrenders followed.

"CHARGE!" Kilmus yelled and was suitable impressed when a large majority of his followers did so.

He used the following melee to escape into the woodland.

* * *

Dodge. Slash. Stab.

Dandin stayed as close as he dared to Mariel as they fought against the second wave of vermin.

"Whoohahahahooh! I say, that old foxy chap's tryin' to do a blinkin' disappearin' act! Whoohahahahooh!"

"Got him!" Dandin said to Rosie, setting his sights on the rapidly departing fox and setting after him as he crept along the shadow of the North wall of the Abbey.

* * *

The mouse was coming, Kilmus realised with horror. He had seen the mouse detach himself from the group of Redwallers and it was now apparent that he was the target of this seasoned warrior. Well, Kilmus wasn't defeated yet. A nearby bush would afford him all the cover he needed.

* * *

"Where's Dandin?"

Skipper wiped some sweat off his brow as he considered Mariel's frantic question. "He went that way, I think. Rosie said something about the fox..."

But the mousemaid was long gone, hurrying after her best friend in the direction Skipper's paw was pointing.

* * *

He leapt out of the bush, startling the mouse. This gave Kilmus the edge he needed. He used his brute strength to lift the struggling warrior into the air and throw him against the Abbey wall, heedless of the dagger that cut long gashes into his flesh. There was an audible crack as the mouse's head hit the stone.

"Nooooooooooooooooooo!"

The fox smiled at the sight of the mousemaid bearing down on him. At first he thought the sound meant he was in trouble, but once realising it was only a mousemaid he felt his confidence soar.

But only for a moment.

Kilmus froze as he saw her eyes. Her blood-red eyes.

He knew what it meant.

It meant that he was a dead beast.

The first blow from the rope sent him to the ground, the second hit his head and caused him to momentarily blackout. The last thing he saw was the mousemaid's blood-red eyes as she plunged the dead mouse's dagger into his heart. The significance of her actions was not lost on Kilmus in that second before he closed his eyes for the last time.

* * *

Saxtus held open the small wicker gate as Redwall's warriors returned. The vermin that had surrounded were currently getting as far away from Mossflower as possible on the promise never to return again. Scarchin had been happy to head up the party.

Tarquin saluted the Abbot. "All present and correct, sah!" He reported in his best military style. "Not a blinkin' beast lost. At least, not yet."

"Not yet?" Saxtus echoed the hare's last, quiet words as Rosie directed Rufe and Skipper through the gate; the pair were carrying a makeshift stretcher.

They paused at the Abbot's worried look. "Get to the infirmary," Rosie's voice was sharp and harsh as she ordered them away. She shot Saxtus an apologetic glance and hurried after the squirrel and otter.

"Mariel," he whispered, mainly to himself.

"What?"

Saxtus blinked in surprise as the tired looking mousemaid walked in through the gates. "I thought that maybe..."

"I'm fine," she replied curtly, leaning on the Abbey wall for support.

"You don't look fine," Sister Sage chided her as she walked over and took in the warrior's appearance. "I think you ought to get up to the infirmary, have Aubretia take a look at you."

Mariel shook her head defiantly.

"Tarquin," Saxtus turned his attention back to the hare. "What happened? Who was on the stretcher?"

"You know what?" Mariel asked, interrupted the impending conversation as she pushed herself off the wall, propelling herself towards the Abbey. "Maybe I will go and get checked over. Excuse me."

Tarquin watched as she made her way into the Abbey before he answered Saxtus' question. "I'm not sure exactly what happened, just got bits of it off Rosie. Bloomin' vermin leader swanned off an' Dandin went after him. Then Mariel went chasin' off after him. She found the three of 'em by the North wall. Dandin was unconscious, still breathin' but not much else. Mariel was sat nearby, watchin' him. In a state of bloomin' shock she's been. Covered in blood from the dead fox beside her."

Saxtus sighed as he thought through the events, reconciling it with Aubretia's tale of Martin and Rose. "I knew it wasn't Aubretia that was Rose, I just assumed..."

"Well, the truth's out now. It's up t'them to sort it out. So long as Dandin wakes up."

pg. 5


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** _I had actually decided to get this final chapter finished and up a few hours before hearing the news about Brian Jacques' death. It didn't seem right, somehow, to work on a Redwall story just after hearing that he'd died, so I took a little longer getting this up than I had intended._

_My 'normal' author's note is at the end._

* * *

**Chapter Six**

* * *

Aubretia left the broken bones and gaping wounds of the battle's casualties. She stepped outside the infirmary where she saw a solitary figure staring out of a window across the Abbey lawns.

"Are you OK?"

Mariel turned to look at her. "I'm fine."

"You look worse than some of them in there. Do you want me to look at you?"

She shrugged. "It's just a few scratches. I've had worse."

"I don't doubt it. Come on, you don't want anything to get infected and end up losing an arm just because you don't like me."

Mariel sighed and followed the healer into a side room where they weren't surrounded by the wounded. She sat on a bench and watched as Aubretia got some bottles out, then dampened a cloth with some strong smelling liquid. "Where are you hurt?"

Wordlessly Mariel turned and took off her tunic so Aubretia could see the scratches on her back. The mousemaid hissed at the sight of her wounds and old scars.

"Gabool, the searat," Mariel told her as she felt Aubretia dab the stinging liquid on the cuts. "He never lashed me anywhere it showed. I was too pretty. No one knows about my back, they think I'm unscathed. Physically, anyway."

"I won't tell," Aubretia promised.

There was a minute's silence. "I don't not like you."

Aubretia smiled at that. "I like you too. Do you want to talk to about it?"

"About what?"

"That unconscious male mouse I've been nursing."

There was a slight hesitation before Mariel spoke. "How is he?"

Aubretia paused as she re-wet the cloth. "Alive. Simeon said that only time will tell. I'm not very good with severe injuries. The best thing for him now is to wake up, something he's stubbornly refusing to do."

"And if he doesn't?" Mariel's voice was quiet.

"So long as he's breathing, he's alive, but the longer he's asleep the more likely that he won't exactly be himself when he does finally wake up."

There was another silence as Mariel took this information in.

"Am I done?" she asked the healer.

"You tell me."

Aubretia pulled away and Mariel used the space to replace her tunic.

"I'm done."

Mariel gave her one last quick look before she left the room. Aubretia stared after her and then her eyes drifted to the scarf that the warriormaid had left behind. She picked it up and took it into the infirmary. She stopped beside the sleeping warrior. Her own scarf, the one he had worn into battle, had been used by Rosie as a makeshift bandage. It had been caked in his blood and so was thrown away as soon as they had got him into Redwall and replaced it with proper bandages.

Aubretia took Mariel's scarf and tied it above his right elbow. "You know, Dandin. A part of me can't help but think that if you'd have worn this to the fight, you wouldn't be lying here right now."

She reached down and squeezed his paw. "You need to wake up, for Mariel's sake. I don't know how she'd cope if she lost you." Aubretia laughed. "She'd probably head south and found an Abbey."

* * *

"Mariel."

The single word escaped his mouth in a breath that was so shallow the maid's name was almost impossible to distinguish. As he opened his eyes he noticed the blurry flurry of activity around him. The first thing he recognised was Saxtus' face staring down at him.

"Mariel?" he tried again, with a bit more strength to his voice this time.

"Mariel's not the one lying in the infirmary," the Abbot replied softly. "Concentrate on yourself. She's fine. How are you feeling?"

Dandin blinked slowly. "Not sure. Sore. Woozy. Not great."

"That was quite a blow you had to your head. You won't be off adventuring for a few days, I can tell you that much."

"Can I see her?"

Saxtus had to smile. This mouse had a one-track mind. "I'll send Aubretia to find her. And I'll get Simeon to come and check on you now that you're awake. Let's hope there's no permanent damage."

Dandin licked his dry and cracked lips. "So long as Mariel's all right."

* * *

Syrenn watched the solitary figure that was busy working on the shore by the glowing embers of a small forgotten fire. A searat from the look, and overwhelming aroma, of him.

Cautiously she made her way over to him.

He looked over at her with almost equal suspicion. "Who are yer?"

The weasel raised her paws in a gesture of surrender. "Just an 'ungry an' thirsty traveller."

"You look like vermin t'me."

"Likewise," Syrenn retorted to the searat.

A small part of the rat seemed to take offensive at that. "Me name's Blaggut. I'm a boat builder. What are you doin' in Mossflower?"

"I'm a deserter. I was with a fox an' 'is band. Decided t'leave 'em."

The searat didn't drop his guard. "I'm a friend of the beasts at Redwall Abbey. Mebbe I've done some bad things in past but not no more."

"Mate, I 'ave no wish t'get on the wrong side of them Abbey beasts. If you'll gimme shelter, I'll 'elp yer and swear never to 'arm any beast again."

Blaggut thought for a moment then nodded. "There's food an' water in my cave an' when yer full y'can come an' sand some wood."

* * *

It was dark.

Dandin was worried, and the later it got the more worried he became. The brothers and sisters of the Abbey kept assuring him that Mariel was fine, that she had been told that she could visit him at any time.

And she hadn't come.

He couldn't get to sleep, not without seeing her, not without knowing for sure that she was all right. Just a glimpse would do, just _something_.

There was movement in the darkness. He tilted his head to the side as he watched the phantom figure make its way to perch on the edge of his bed.

From the instant he had been aware that there was somebeast there he had known who it was.

"You should be asleep," the phantom scolded him.

"So should you." Dandin's voice was still a little hoarse.

She reached out and held onto his paw. "I thought I lost you for a while there."

He smiled. "Can't get rid of me that easily."

They sat in silence for a moment. "Why did it take you so long to come and see me? I was worried about you."

Mariel sighed. "I'm sorry. I was thinking."

"That's all I've been doing," Dandin agreed with her. "Martin's warning really was for me, wasn't it?"

"If it wasn't for your thick head you'd have died just like Rose did."

He watched her silhouette in the ray of moonlight that filtered through the curtains into the Infirmary.

"You're Martin," he told her.

She withdrew her paw from his. "No. I'm not Martin. He knew that you were going to suffer the same injury that Rose did and tried to warn you. That was all it was."

"Are you sure?"

Mariel thought for a second, then nodded. "I'm sure. We can't read too much into it. We can't force anything that isn't there. We're friends Dandin, close friends and I won't lie and tell you that I wouldn't have been devastated by your death, I would have been. But not as upset as Rosie would have been at Tarquin's death. Not as upset as Martin was."

Dandin sighed. He knew that he would have been if she had died, he had known that with perfect clarity the morning they had left for the battle. There had been a slight waver in Mariel's voice that made him question whether she was lying, but he knew her well enough to not press the matter. "So long as you would have been a little bit upset."

"A little bit," she agreed and there was a smile to her voice. She bent down and brushed a chaste kiss across his forehead. He watched as her figure retreated towards the Abbey dormitories. From under the blankets he pulled out the scarf that he had found tied on him on waking. So long as Mariel was a part of his life, it didn't matter much to him what role she found in it. Best friend was perfectly acceptable.

_fin_.

* * *

**A/N**: _Thank you to everyone who has left a review, added this story as a favourite or signed up for alerts. It made my day every time I opened my inbox to see more notifications from . Redwall stories are deceptively hard to write, and I take these things as a sign that I was doing something right, so I'm also going to take the opportunity to congratulate everyone who has written a Redwall fanfic and to urge everyone to continue writing, particularly to write more Mariel and Dandin fics; can you tell that they're my favourite?_


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